Cooling system for internal-combustion engines.



w. IvI. FULTON. COOLING SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL COIVIBUSTION ENGINES.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WESTON M. FULTON, 0F KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR TO THE FULTON COMPANY, OF KN OXVILLE, TENNESSEE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

COOLING SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

To all 'whom t may concern Be it known that I, lVns'roN M. FULTON, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Knoxville, Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Cooling Systems for Internal-Combustion Engines, which invention is fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention relates to a cooling system for internal combustion engines, and is especially designed for the cooling of such engines when used in automobiles.

Internal combustion engines, whenused in automobiles, are ordinarilyprovided with radiators of such capacity as to maintain the cooling medium at a proper temperature under the most adverse conditions. Consequently, in cold weather, in the absence of some provision otherwise, the cooling medium is cooled to a degree considerably below that proper for the most eiiicient operation of the engine. To obviate this diiiiculty, it has been proposed to divert some of the cooling medium through a heater in the path of the exhaust gases of the engine, when temperature conditions require, thereby offsetting to a certain extent the cooling influence of the outside air. Constructions of this type heretofore proposed have had a number of serious disadvantages, one of the more important of which is that the cooling medium standing in the pipe or pipes con-y stituting the heater, when a circulation is not being maintained therethrough, quickly becomes overheated, resulting in an evaporation and loss of such medium and a likelihood of injury to th-e cooling system.

It is an object of this invention to overcome the disadvantages of prior constructions and to provide a cooling system of the type referred to, wherein the cooling medium may be heated to the proper temperature. when atmospheric` conditions require, by diverting a larger or smaller proportion of the exhaust gases of the engine through the heater.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a system of the type above charactei-ized wherein the diversion of the exhaust gases is automatically controlled by thermosensitive means subjected to the cooling medium and therefore controlled by its temperature.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a cooling system of the type re- Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 27, 1917.

Application filed August 18, 1916.I Serial No. 115,710.

ferred to, wherein all of the cooling medium may be subjected to the heating influence of the exhaust gases,rand whereby all or a desired quantity of the exhaust gases may be employed in the heating of the cooling medium. Other'objects relate to the provision of a construction of this type which shall Ibe simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and install, and efficient in operation.

Stated briey, the invention consists of a cooling system for internal combustionengines comprising, in combination with the usual jacket for the engine cylinder or cylinders, the conduits for circulating the cooling medium therethrough, and also p referablya radiator, a heater for the cooling medium preferably positioned in the path of this medium as it Hows to the engine jacket, and means for diverting some or all o f the exhaust gases of the engine through said heater. said last-named'Iinea-ns being automatically controlled by a thermosensitive device subjected to such cooling medium.

The invention is susceptible of embodiment in a variety of mechanical forms, one of which for purposes ofl illustration has been shown on the accompanying drawing. Butit is to be expressly understood` that this embodiment is for purposes of illustration only, and is not to be construed as a definition of the scope of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims for such purpose.l The drawing represents an elevation, partly in section, of a cooling system for internal combustion engines of the type commonly used in automobiles and embodying the present invention.

`1 represents the-cylinder or cylinders of an internal combustion engine, the same being provided with ajacket through which it is designed a cooling medium shall be`circulated for the maintenance of the cylinder or cylinders at the\proper temperature for llating system may be employed, the illustrated embodiment comprises a pump 7 positioned between the radiator, outlet 4 and the conduit 5, drawing the cooling medium. from the former-'and delivering it to the latter. 8 represents the exhaust manifold of the engine and 9 a conduit for leading the exhaust gases from vsuch manifold to the atmosphere.

In accordance with the present invention, means are provided whereby some or all of the exhaust gases may be diverted for heating the cooling medium. In accordance with the preferred embodiment, a Y-coupling 10 is interposed between sections of the exhaust conduit 9 and has leading therefrom a conduit 11 which,in turn, communicates with the heater, generally represented at 12. Any preferred form of heater may be employed. The illustrated embodiment comprises a heater composed of a casing 13 Vcommunicating at 14 with the conduit 5 and at 15 with the inlet manifold 6. This casing 13 constitutes a reservoir for the cooling lnedium through which all of the cooling medium passes as it circulates from-the radiator to the engine jacket. 16 is a header communicating with the conduit 11, and 17 is a second header at the opposite end of the casing 13 from which leads a conduit 18.v Between the headers 16 and 17 extend a plurality of pipes 19 through which the exhaust gases, when led through conduit 11, may pass from header 16 to header 17,

and thence flow to the outside atmosphere through conduit 18. It will be observed that each of the aforesaid pipes 19 is entirely surrounded by the cooling medium as it passes through the casing 13.

Valve means are provided for opening or closing admission to the conduit 11 which constitutes a by-pass for the exhaust gases, such valve means simultaneously respectively closing or opening the passage through the main exhaust conduit 9. While any preferred form of valve may be employed, the illustrated embodiment comprises abutter-fly valve 20 adapted in one position to close admission to the by-pass 11,

' and at the other extremity of its movement to-completely close the conduit 9. Butterfly valve 20 is provided with'a crank-arm 21, in turn connected to means for operating such valve,

Any preferred means may be employed in connection with the-heretofore described valve means for operating the same to divert the exhaust gases. In accordance with the preferred embodiment of this invention, however, Asuch means comprises a thermosensitive device controlled by the temperature of the coolingmedium. While any preferred form of thermosensitive means may be employed the illustrated embodiment comprises an expansible and collapsible vessel 22 mounted in any convenient manner,

names? as by a bracket 23, and having its movable end wall connected to the aforesaid crankarm 21 by a link 24:. Positioned-.within the branch of the circuit comprising the outlet manifold 2 and connected to such manifold and the radiator by sections of pi ing 25 and 26 respectively, is a coupling 2 carrying inside of the same a bulb 28 positioned in the path of the cooling medium after leading the. engine jacket, as it Hows from such jacket to the radiator. Connecting bulb 28 with vessel 22 is a pipe 29 whereby said bulb is in communication with said vessel. The bulb, vessel and pipe are charged with a volatile thermosensitive fluid preferably at a pressure below that to which the vessel 22 is exteriorly subjected. Said vessel 22 is also possessed of an inherent elasticity whereby, if pressure within and without the same becomes equalized, as would be the case if a'leak occurred, the vessel will expand and move the valve means to a position of safety, in this case a position cutting ol' the by-pass 11 and directing all of the exhaust gases through the conduit 9 to the end that the cooling medium may not become overheated.

When. the engine is cold, the cooling medium in the cooling system will be approximately at the temperature of the outside air. The fluid in the thermosensitive device will be condensed to a relatively large degree, and the pressure exterior to the collapsible and expansible vessel will collapse the same, throwing valve 20 to a position opening wide the by-pass 11 and cutting off the conduit 9. The exhaust gases of the engine will then be diverted through said 'by-pass, through the header 16, pipes 19, header 17, and conduit 18 to the outside air, thereby heating the cooling medium in the casing 13 in contact with said pipes 19. The cooling medium circulates through the manifold 2, coupling 27, radiator 3, outlet 4, conduit 5, casing y13, manifold 6 and the engine jacket. Cooling medium so heated in the casing 13 will become further heated in the engine jacket, and when it reaches a temperature proper for the most eicient operation of the engine, volatilizaton of the fluid 4in lthe bulb 28 subjected to such medium will create a pressure that will be transmitted through the pipe 29 to the vessel 22, whereby the latter will move the valve 20 to a position Wholly or partially cutting ofi' the passage of the gases through Vthe by-pass 1l and permitting their escape through the conduit 9. Thereafter the extent to which the exhaust gases are diverted through the heater will depend automatically upon the temperature of the cooling medium, preferably at a point after leaving the engine jacket, and will be proportioned thereby to the needs of the cooling system, preventing the heating of the cooling medium in the device controlled by the temperature vof the cooling medium.

While the invention has `been described with considerable particularity, it is to be expressly understood that the same is not-y to be restricted to the embodiment illustrated, as the same is susceptible of embodiment in a variety of mechanical forms, some of which will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, While certain features thereof are susceptible of employment without other features thereof. The scope of the invention is to be determined by ref- 1 erence to the claims hereto appended.

lVhat is claimed is:

l. A cooling system for internal combustion engines comprising, yin combination with thc engine jacket and the 4conduits for circulating cooling medium therethrough, a heater in communication With said conduits, and means for diverting the exhaust gases of the engine through said heater.

2. A cooling system for internal combustion engines comprising, in combination with the engine jacket and the conduitsfor circulatingr cooling medium therethrough, a heater in communication with said conduits, means for diverting the exhaust gases of the engine through said heater, and thermosensitive means for operating said lastnamed means.

3. A cooling system for internal combustion engines comprising, in combination with the engine jacket and the conduits for circulating cooling medium therethrough, a heater in communication with said conduits, means for diverting the exhaust gases of the engine through said heater, and means automatically controlled by the temperaturel of the cooling medium for operating said last-named means.

4. A cooling system for internal combustion engines comprising, in combination with the engine jacket and the conduits for circulating a cooling means therethrough, a heater in communication with said conduits and in the path of the cooling medium as it fiows to the engine jacket, means .for diverting the exhaust gases of the engine through saidheater, and thermosensitive means operating said last-named means and controlled by the temperature of the cooling medium after leaving said jacket. y

5. A cooling 'system for internal combustion engines provided With a conduit for the exhaust gases of the engine, comprising in combination with the engine jacket and the conduits for circulating a cooling medium therethrough, a heater in communication withl said.l conduits, a by-pass from the exhaust rconduit communicating with said heater, and means regulating thel passage of the exhaust gases through said by-pass. y

A6. A cooling system for internal combustion engines provided With a conduit for the exhaust gases of the engine, comprising in combination. With the eng'ine jacket and the conduits'for circulating a cooling-medi-- um therethrough, a heater in, communica tion with said conduits, a by-pass from the exhaust conduit communicating with said heater, and thermosensitive means regulating the passage of the exhaust gases through said by-pass. j

7. A cooling system for internal combustion engines provided -with a conduit for the exhaust gases of the engine, comprising in combination with the engine jacket and the conduits for circulating a cooling medium therethrough, a heater in communication tion engines provided with a conduit for the exhaust gases of the engine, comprising in combination With the engine'jacket and the conduits for circulating a cooling mediumk therethrough, a heater in communication with said conduits and in the path of the cooling medium as it flows to the engine jacket,a by-pass from the exhaust conduit communicating with said heater, and thermosensitive means controlled by the temperature of the cooling medium after leaving said jacket for regulating the passage of the exhaust gases through said by-pass.

9. A cooling system for internal combustion engines provided with a conduit for the exhaust gases of the engine, comprising in combination with the engine jacket and the conduits for circulating a cooling medium therethrough, a heater in communication with said conduits, a by-pass leading from said exhaust conduit and communicating with said heater, valve means adapted to open and close said b v-pass and simultaneously respectively close and open said exhaust conduit, and means to operate said valve means.

10. A cooling system for internal combustion engines provided with a conduit for the exhaust gases of the engine, comprising in -open and close said by-pass and simultaneously respectively close and open said exhaust conduit, and thermosensitive means to opcratc said \'al\'c means.

11. A cooling system for internal combustion engines provided with a conduit for the exhaust gases of the engine, comprising in combination with the engine jacket and the conduits for circulating a. cooling medium therethrough, a heater in comnuinication with said conduits. a by-pass leading from said exhaust conduit and communicating with said heater, valve means adapted to open and close said by-pass and simultaneousljv respectively close and open said exhaust conduit, and means automatically controlled b v the temperature of the cooling medium to operate said valve means.

1Q. A cooling system for internal combusvtion engines provided with a conduit for the exhaust gases of the engine, comprising in combination with the engine acket and the conduits for circulating a. coo-ling medium therethrough, a heater in communication with said conduits, a by-pass from the exhaust conduit communicating With said heater, a valve adapted in 011e position to close said by-pass and in another position to close said exhaust conduit, and means for operating said valve.

13. A cooling system for internal combustion engines provided with aconduit for the exhaust gases of the engine, comprising in combination with the engine jacket and the conduits for circulating a. cooling medium therethrough, a heater in communication with said conduits, a by-pass from the exhaust conduit communicating with said heater, a valve adapted in one position to close said by-pass and in another position to close said exhaust conduit', and thermosensitive means for operating said valve.

14. A cooling system for internal combustion engines provided With a conduit for the exhaust gases of the engine, comprising in combination with the engine jacket and the conduits for circulating a cooling medium therethrough, a heater in communication with said conduits, a by-pass from the exhaust conduit communicating with said heater, a valve adapted in one position to close said by-pass and in another position to close said exhaust conduit, and means automatically controlled by the temperature of the cooling medium for operating said valve.

15. A cooling system for internal combustion engines comprising, in combination .vith the engine acket and the conduits for circulating a cooling medium therethrough, a

heater in communication With said conduits, valve means for diverting the exhaust gases of the engine through the heater, and means for operating said valve means.

16. A cooling system for internal combustion engines comprising, in combination with the engine 'jacket and the conduits for circulating a cooling medium therethrough, a

heater in communication with said conduits, alve means for diverting the exhaust gases of the engine through the heater, and thermosensitive means for operating said valve means.

17. A cooling system for internal combustion engines comprising, in combination with the engine jacket and the conduits for circulating a cooling medium therethrough, a heater in communication with said conduits, Valve means for diverting the exhaust gases of the engine through the heater, and means for operating said valve means comprising an expansible and collapsible vessel connected to said valve means and means subjected to the cooling medium and containing a thermosensitive fluid in communication with said vessel.

18. A cooling system for internal combustion engines comprising, in combination with the engine jacket and the conduits for circulating a cooling medium therethrough. a heater in communication with said conduits and in the path of the cooling medium flowing to the engine jacket, valve means for diverting the exhaust gases of the engine through the heater, and means for operating said valve means comprising an expansible and collapsible vessel connected to said valve means and means subjected to the cooling medium after leaving said jacket and containing a thermosensitive fluid in communication with said vessel.

19. A cooling system for internal combustion engines comprising, in combination With the engine jacket, the radiator. and the conduits for circulating a cooling medium through said jacket and radiator', a heater in communication with said conduits and through which the cooling medium circulates as it ows from the radiator to the engine jacket, and means to divert the exhaust gases of the engine through said heater.

20. A cooling system for internal combustion engines comprising, in combination with the engine jacket, the radiator. and the conduits for circulating a cooling medium through said jacket and radiator, a heater in communication With said conduits and through which the cooling medium circulates as it flows from the radiator to the engine jacket, means to divert the exhaust gases of the engine through said heater, and thermosensitive means for operating said lastnamed means.

21. A cooling system for internal combustion engines comprising, in combination With the engine jacket, the radiator, and the conduits for circulating a cooling medium through said jacket and radiator, a heater in communication with said conduits and through which the Vcooling medium circulates as it flows from the radiator to the engine jacket, means to divert the exhaust gases of the engine through said heater, and

means automatically controlled by the temperature of the cooling medium for operating said last-named means.

22. A cooling system for internal combustion engines comprising, in combination with the engine jacket and the conduits yfor circulating a cooling medium therethrough, a heater in communication with said conduits and through which all of the coolingl duits and through Which all of the cooling medium flows, means for diverting the exhaust gases of the engine through said' heater, and thermosensitive means for operating said last-named means.

24. A cooling system for internal combustion engines comprising, in combination with the engine jacket and the conduits for circulating a cooling medium therethrough, a heater in communication with said conduits and through Which all of the cooling medium flows, means for diverting the exhausi*I gases of the engine through said heater, and means automatically controlled by the temperature of the cooling medium for operating said last-named means.

25. A cooling system for internal combustion nengines comprising, in combination with the engine jacket and the conduits for circulating a cooling medium therethrough, a heater in communication with said conduits and through which the cooling medium and the `exhaust gases of the engine are circulated, valve means for controlling said heater, and means for operating said valve means to prevent the heating of the cooling medium in the heater or to subject all of the cooling medium to the heat of all of the exhaust gases, orto proportion the heating effect of the heater to the needs of the system.

26. A cooling system for internal combustion engines comprising, in combination With the engine jacket and the conduits for circulating la .cooling medium therethrough, a heater in communication with said conduits and through which the cooling medium and the exhaust gases of the engine are circulated, valve means 'for controlling said heater, and thermosensitive means for operating said valve means to prevent Vthe heating of the cooling medium in the heater, or to subject all of the cooling medium to the l heat of all of the exhaust gases, or to proportion the heating e'ect of the heater to the needs of the system.

27,. A cooling system for internal combustion engines comprising, in combination with the engine -jacket and the conduits for circulating a cooling medium therethrough, a heater 1n communication with said conduits and through Which the cooling medium and the exhaust gases of the engine are circulated, valve means for controlling said heater, and means automatically controlled by the temperature of the cooling medium for operating said valve means to prevent the heating of the cooling medium in the heater, or to subject all of the cooling medium to the heat of all of the exhaust gases, 0r to proportion the heating eect of the heater to the needs of the system.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

i WESTON M. FULTON. 

